Telescopic mute



Patented Sept. 18, 1923.

UNITED rSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM .ROLIEOv DALFONSO, ,0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL TELESCOPE MUTE COMPANY, F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

TELESCOPIC MUTE.

Application led October 27, 1921. Serial No. 510,769.

To all whom t may concer/n:

Be4 it known that 1', LWILLIAM ROMEO DALroNso, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Ala'- 5 meda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Telescopic Mutes,ot which the following is a specitication.

This invention relates to improvements in mutes for horns, cornets, ete., and consists of the provision of a device of such character as canbe easily and' quickly adjusted through novel means so as tok effect the raising and the lowering of the diapason of the tone. The main object of this present yinvention is to provide means whereby the tone or pitch of a note played on any cornet or brass instrument, with the mute in lace, can be modified and brought into per ect accord or pitch with the same note or tone played or produced on said cornet or member of the brass instrument family including cornet,

trumpet. alto, flute, horn, trombone, bari# tone, tuba, French-horn, ballad-horn, etc., when used open or without mute, which result can be obtained by the use of my improved Inute.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved mute with its head at the innermost limit, and to be used in connection with a French horn.

Figure Q is a longitudinal section with the head extended to its furthermost limit Figure 8 is a side elevation of my improved mute to fit the bell ot a. trombone.

Figure 4 is a side elevation partly in section of my mute to fit the bell of a cornet.

In general appearance my mute looks. like a cylindrical box with both ends tapering.

Referring to the drawing, l designates the mute, generally consistingr of a metallic (preferably aluminum) cylinder or tube 2, terminating at one end in a {rostro-conical portion 3, surrounded by and secured to a cork spacer 4 of similar shape, which holds said tube lirmlyk within the bell ot' the horn.

Fitting closely into said tube 2, yet not so tightly as to prevent an easy back and forth movement, another cylinderor tube 5 of a length slightly less than the irst terminates also, but at the opposite end, in a frustreconical portion 6, of greater length than that of portion 3 and ending in a small, short length 8, which is `of a considerably less d1- kameter than that of tube 5. v Modification or adjustment of the diapason of the tone emitted by the .player results from kthe advancing or thereceding movement of tube y5 within tube 2. This moveA ment is obtained. by means of a finger piece 9 with a milled head 1() and a threaded stem 1.1 screwing into a lug l2y soldered or other- Wise secured to tube 5 and which is operatedv bythe player, along the path of a slot 13 in the outer tube 2. ySaid slot is set obliquely relative to the axis of said tube and extends over about el to 1.1, of its circumference.

It 'is obvious that by moving the linger piece from one end of the slot to the other end, tube 5 will follow suit and advance or recede as the case may be, the capacity of the mute being increased or decreased accord.- ingly, thus permitting the regulation of the tone produced. y

The mute `1 Ylor cornets, Fig. 4;, or the mute l2 oi Fig. 3 differ trom the mute tor French horns, in thatthe proportions and dimensions are altered so as to [it the bell of the respective instruments and also in that tbc telescoping member 5 is closed at its outer end, as shown in the drawing; cork lugs are used but may be replaced by rings;

the desired position and the finger piece or guide would be secured to tube 2 while the slot would be cut in tbc tube 5', as shown in vFigure The member 8 and the frustro-conical portion 6 are so designed and proportioned that they effect or modify the tone. It has been found that an arrangement ot this kind will improve the mute from the stand point of an improved tone and permit of the adaptability of the mute to various instruments.

I claim: v

1. A mute adapted to be inserted in the mouth of a horn, or a brass instrument comprising a body portion made up of telescopically joined, relatively adjustable sections and means located adjacent to the outer end and projecting from one side oft' the mute 'tor holding said sections in adjusted position A mute adapted to be inserted in the mouth ot a horn, or a brass instrument, comprising` a body portion made up ot telescopically joined, relatively adjustable sections one of seid sections having e. slotextending obliquely to the longitudinal axis ot said section. a projection on the other section extending into the slot and a screw mene ber adjustable on the projection torlinovenient into and out` or' engagement with one oi" the sections, one of Vsaid sections being tapered and adopted to extend into the mouth oi the horn.

3. A mute adapted to be inserted in the mouth of a horn', or e brass instrument, eomprising a bod)v portion made up of telescopiealljY joined, relativelyv adjustable sections and means for holding said sections in adjusted position, one of said sections being tapered and adapted to extend into the mouth of the horn, the other section being tapered towards its outer end and :i tubular extension projecting from the outer end oi said last named section.

4. A mute adapted to be inserted into the mouth ot' a horn comprising hollow telescopiea relatively adjustable sections, one ot` said sections haring a slot therein extending obliqueljv to the longitudinal axis ot the said section and a projection on the other section extending:r through and being mor-- able in said slot.

A mute adapted to be inserted into the mouth ot' a horn comprisin"r telescopiealljf mounted, relatively adjustable sections, one ot which is adapted to extend into the mouth ot' e horn, one oit said sect-ions having :i slot thereinj a member on the other seu tion extendingr through and slidnble in sai-J slot and :i member adjustable on the extension providing for the holding of the sections in adjusted position.

WILLIAM ROMEO DALFONSO. 

